Daily REALITY Check from www.bushrecall.org
Turning the Corner, Again
8/4/2004
At a stop in Springfield, MO, yesterday, President Bush delivered a speech that highlighted two contradictory campaign themes. And here's the kicker - neither does him any good.The president defended his record before a crowd of supporters at Southwest Missouri State University, telling the audience that on issues like the economy, health care, education, and national security, "Results matter."Huh?Which results? The underfunded No Child Left Behind act? The confusing prescription drug law that is little more than a sop to big drug companies? The economy that's shed over one million jobs since Bush took office? The skyrocketing federal deficit? The ongoing hunt for those pesky WMD?Bush didn't elaborate on his point. Certainly his administration has produced results - after all, record deficits and war based on false pretenses are results, too. It was telling that Bush followed his point not by celebrating his own record, but by trashing that of his opponent: "After 19 years in the United States Senate, my opponent has had thousands of votes, but very few signature achievements." The lesson here, apparently, is this: If only Kerry had plundered the environment, handed out favors to energy companies and stalled the economy, then he too, could run on his record of results. If you're looking for other results-based stories, take a look at this one: "Consumer Spending Drop Largest in Three Years." Or this one, about the latest terror alert that's based on three-year-old information: "Old Data, New Credibility Issues."If you're looking for other stories about how the Bush administration likes to take credit for all its results, look here: "Cheney Blames Democrats for Gas Prices."President Bush has also peppered his stump speech with a new line: "We're turning the corner, and we're not turning back." There are obvious problems with this snappy line. For one, it undercuts his "results matter" mantra. What would we turn back to? The failed policies of the past three and a half years? Don't results matter? This is merely an unsuccessful attempt for Bush to massage the "Don't change a horse in midstream" defense. It's unsuccessful precisely because it reminds everyone that this particular thoroughbred has been overwhelmed by the current during his term in office.The second problem with the slogan is this: Bush has given no indication that his second term agenda would radically depart from his first four years in office. (For that matter, he's really given little indication of a second term agenda at all.) You can't turn a corner if you're heading straight for the right wing.But it's just the type of empty (not to mention introspection-free) line that Bush has favored since his first campaign. After turning the same corner a bunch of times, Americans should start to realize they're being thrown for a loop. AND FINALLY...Be sure to check out one of our favorite daily publications, "The Progress Report," produced by the American Progress Action Fund. Here's a blurb from yesterday's Report:
"A four month investigation by a Philadelphia researcher...'finally proves that President George W. Bush did not successfully complete his service with the Texas Air National Guard. The president's own payroll records...indicate that he was absent without leave (AWOL) in 1972.'"
8/4/2004
At a stop in Springfield, MO, yesterday, President Bush delivered a speech that highlighted two contradictory campaign themes. And here's the kicker - neither does him any good.The president defended his record before a crowd of supporters at Southwest Missouri State University, telling the audience that on issues like the economy, health care, education, and national security, "Results matter."Huh?Which results? The underfunded No Child Left Behind act? The confusing prescription drug law that is little more than a sop to big drug companies? The economy that's shed over one million jobs since Bush took office? The skyrocketing federal deficit? The ongoing hunt for those pesky WMD?Bush didn't elaborate on his point. Certainly his administration has produced results - after all, record deficits and war based on false pretenses are results, too. It was telling that Bush followed his point not by celebrating his own record, but by trashing that of his opponent: "After 19 years in the United States Senate, my opponent has had thousands of votes, but very few signature achievements." The lesson here, apparently, is this: If only Kerry had plundered the environment, handed out favors to energy companies and stalled the economy, then he too, could run on his record of results. If you're looking for other results-based stories, take a look at this one: "Consumer Spending Drop Largest in Three Years." Or this one, about the latest terror alert that's based on three-year-old information: "Old Data, New Credibility Issues."If you're looking for other stories about how the Bush administration likes to take credit for all its results, look here: "Cheney Blames Democrats for Gas Prices."President Bush has also peppered his stump speech with a new line: "We're turning the corner, and we're not turning back." There are obvious problems with this snappy line. For one, it undercuts his "results matter" mantra. What would we turn back to? The failed policies of the past three and a half years? Don't results matter? This is merely an unsuccessful attempt for Bush to massage the "Don't change a horse in midstream" defense. It's unsuccessful precisely because it reminds everyone that this particular thoroughbred has been overwhelmed by the current during his term in office.The second problem with the slogan is this: Bush has given no indication that his second term agenda would radically depart from his first four years in office. (For that matter, he's really given little indication of a second term agenda at all.) You can't turn a corner if you're heading straight for the right wing.But it's just the type of empty (not to mention introspection-free) line that Bush has favored since his first campaign. After turning the same corner a bunch of times, Americans should start to realize they're being thrown for a loop. AND FINALLY...Be sure to check out one of our favorite daily publications, "The Progress Report," produced by the American Progress Action Fund. Here's a blurb from yesterday's Report:
"A four month investigation by a Philadelphia researcher...'finally proves that President George W. Bush did not successfully complete his service with the Texas Air National Guard. The president's own payroll records...indicate that he was absent without leave (AWOL) in 1972.'"
posted by BLONDIE at 5:33 PM
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